rear bike rack weight question
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13392
Printed Date: 14 May 2025 at 2:19am
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Topic: rear bike rack weight question
Posted By: Medicine Wolf
Subject: rear bike rack weight question
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2020 at 12:50pm
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2010 Rpod 151 My rack weighs 52 lbs and my bike weighs 30 lbs.... Would you be comfortable putting that on the back hitch where the spare tire is? I'll just put the tire in the front compartment..I called forest river and they said 150 lb weight limit but Im wondering since the adapter sticks out a bit as does the bike rack if that changes anything on the force of the load....I sucked at physics so :-) Thanks for the replies in advance
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Replies:
Posted By: crw8sr
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2020 at 2:15pm
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Do a search on this site about that. A lot of comments that the hitch is to weak for that. ------------- Chuck & Lyn Izzy, Morkie. RIP Zoe Joy & Gracie, Yorkie 2018 R Pod 190 2019 Traverse In moments of adversity;when life's a total wreck, I think of those worse off than me and really feel like heck. |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2020 at 2:20pm
I would not do that. The 1-1/4" receiver is weak to begin with, and adding a 2" adapter will just increase the moment arm, which will reduce the capacity even more. I think the maximum weight of the 1-1/4" receiver is only 50 lbs to begin with. So you are over the limit without the adapter. This is bad juju. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2020 at 2:48pm
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FR says 1 1/4 max weight is 125-150. Any extension decreases that. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2020 at 8:20pm
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Hanging 80+ pounds out on the 2" extender is asking for trouble. The extender adds a significant moment arm to an already undersized mount. The rear bumper of a TT is a very rough environment with lots of bouncing and whipping. FR sells a very light weight carrier for two bikes and usually will not warrant anything else. Their carrier is pricey but a similar one can be found on Amazon. I used one for several years with two bikes with no problems.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2020 at 8:20am
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We got a 1 1/4" shaft bike rack for our Pod from Amazon and it worked fine. Since getting the Sonoma we got a 2" bolt on receiver for the square bumper, put a sleeve in it for 1 1/4" and are using the same rack. We took it on a 1000 mi. trip and had no issues. Here is one they offer, though not the one we bought, that will fit a 1 1/4" receiver: http://www.amazon.com/LITE-WAY-2-Bike-Hitch-Mounted-Rack/dp/B07FCV7QLP/ref=sr_1_22_sspa?crid=722FWLMMQPPE&keywords=1+1%2F4+inch+bike+rack+for+car&qid=1581776074&sprefix=1+1%2F4+inch+bike+rack%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-22-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFHVzZRVlUyNzA5Tk4mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwNjQxMjYxS1RBUEo0Mkk1R0kzJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4ODk0NzgxTkM0VDJGSzFFUkpQJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYnRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== - https://www.amazon.com/LITE-WAY-2-Bike-Hitch-Mounted-Rack/dp/B07FCV7QLP/ref=sr_1_22_sspa?crid=722FWLMMQPPE&keywords=1+1%2F4+inch+bike+rack+for+car&qid=1581776074&sprefix=1+1%2F4+inch+bike+rack%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-22-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFHVzZRVlUyNzA5Tk4mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwNjQxMjYxS1RBUEo0Mkk1R0kzJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4ODk0NzgxTkM0VDJGSzFFUkpQJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYnRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2020 at 8:59am
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I have a 2019 179 and used the 1 1/4" rear receiver with a yakima bike rack built for 2 bikes (which can be used on a 1 1/4" or 2" receiver and went on a 6000 mile trip out to NM had no problems. Later last year during the summer I noticed that one weld had broken where the square tubing, that the receiver is mounted to, is secured to the frame/leveling jack. I was very uncomfortable with this situation because the bike rack load puts a lot of twisting stress on the square tubing and that is the receiver's only point of attachment. My remedy was going to the local fab shop and have a rear bumper fabed up and installed to the frame of the trailer then bolt a 2" receiver to the bumper and the 1" square tubing that the factory receiver was attached to. This seems to resolved the problem. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: Medicine Wolf
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2020 at 11:07am
| Ill just get the swagman that goes on the back of the truck over the rpod hitch |
Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2020 at 12:04pm
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That will work but keep in mind that you will be increasing your tongue weight. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: ronahue
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2020 at 1:26pm
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We have been using the Sportwing 2 bike rear mounted rack (this is the one approved by Forest River) for 4 years with no problems and no apparent weakening of the hitch. As they say "your results may be different". It also has the advantage of being able to be moved quickly to the TV hitch when you want to go riding somewhere away from your trailer. ------------- Ron & Sharon 2015 R-Pod 179 2022 Nissan Frontier No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated |
Posted By: Medicine Wolf
Date Posted: 29 Feb 2020 at 4:35pm
| Got the Swagman but now cannot put my tailgate all the way down ...Plus the added tongue weight in addition to needing longer chains have me rethinking the whole deal... |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 29 Feb 2020 at 6:35pm
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Aside from the tailgate issue, will you be able to make a sharp turn with bikes on the hitch? TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2020 at 10:33am
Back on the original "physics" question, the highest load on the rpod frame occurs just aft of where the axle attaches. The design safety factor for bump loads at that point is pretty marginal already. Hanging more weight off the rear of the trailer will make that worse. I'd recommend avoiding that if possible.  ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Medicine Wolf
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2020 at 11:35am
| I think I am going to go with the "Jack-it" that mounts on the tongue...The rack is only 25lb and the bikes are a combined 50 lb... and the price is right at $159...I don't like the idea of bikes hanging off the back of the trailer...and I need to put my tailgate down to let my dog out as he rides back there ... |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2020 at 1:17pm
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What happens to the stress analysis when you move the end of the axle further outboard from the frame, such as the actual distance found in the rPod? How does that change the overall stress points? ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2020 at 6:07pm
Not certain I’m follow you but if you’re asking what happens if the frame rails are further inboard but everything else stays the same then the frame stress should be the same (the axle stress would be higher tho). ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2020 at 6:39pm
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What stress colors would show on the frame & axle if the axle was extended further outboard from the rails, as is the case with the r-Pod? If I recall correctly, the axle, between the frame rail and the torsion arm is in the ball park of about 8", which would appear to be quite a bit further than exists in the your stress illustration. Would that distance change the how the stress impacted the frame/axle assembly? ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 5:22am
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It shouldn’t change the frame loads but a longer distance between the hubs and the frame attachments certainly will increase the axle loads. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 6:18am
As others have said, check your tongue weight to be sure you are within your tv limits, it will go up by about 75lbs. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |